On Friday, June 1, Tajik Drug Control Agency conducted a drug burning ceremony on the occasion of the 13th anniversary of the agency.

As reported by the Drug Control Agency, the visiting Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations and the Executive Director of the UN Department for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Yuri Fedotov, CARICC director Beksultan Sarsekov and other officials as well as members of a special commission, which consists of local and foreign reporters, have attended the event.

“More than 267kg of drugs, including nearly 17kg of heroin, 239kg of raw-opium and cannabis, more than 4.200 morphine ampoules were burnt in DCA’s special stove,” the agency has said.

At the same time, the Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA) handed DCA officials the keys to newly erected and equipped Interdepartmental Cynological Training Center.

The handover ceremony was attended by the visiting Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations and the Executive Director of the UN Department for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Yuri Fedotov, UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative in Tajikistan Alexander Zuev, Head of Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Tajikistan, Ambassador Eduard Auer and Director of DCA Rustam Nazarov.

As reported by the EU Office in Tajikistan, training center has one training block with a dormitory for 25 cynologists, veterinary unit and maternity ward for dogs, internal training room, puppy center, isolation ward and check-point.

The center is equipped with computer and office equipment, furniture, veterinary and medical equipment, kitchen equipment and library with training materials.

The construction of the center was estimated at 500.000 Euro.

The Dushanbe Cynological Center will train cynologists for Tajik law enforcement structures and is aimed to improve and strengthen their skills and capacities.